Electro-luminescent lighting arrangement for a lighting apparatus with a lamp holder

Abstract

A conventional light socket, lamp holder, or lamp includes an additional illumination arrangement in the form of electro-luminescent elements connected to the lamp holder power supply. The electro-luminescent elements may be directly connected to the power supply or be included as part of an adapter unit which can be inserted into an existing lamp holder.

I claim:  
     
       1. Illumination apparatus comprising: 
       a lighting apparatus including a lamp holder and a lighting element;  
       conductive means within said lamp holder for supplying electricity to the lighting element from an external power source;  
       at least one electro-luminescent element, said electro-luminescent element being in addition to said lighting element and electrically connected to said lamp holder; and  
       conductive means for electrically connecting the electro-luminescent element to said power supply means.  
     
     
       2. Apparatus as claimed in claim  1 , wherein said lamp holder is of a type selected from the group consisting of the following types: screw-in, wedge type, insert type, plug-in, snap-in, pin, and bayonet. 
     
     
       3. Apparatus as claimed in claim  1 , wherein said conductive means comprises a means selected from the group consisting of blades, wires, ribbons, screws, springs, rivets, terminals, and solder. 
     
     
       4. Apparatus as claimed in claim  1 , wherein the lighting element is a lighting element selected from the group consisting of incandescent lighting elements, fluorescent lighting elements, PL lighting elements, HID lighting elements, Mercury vacuum lamps, gas-filled lamps, phosphor coated lighting elements, and Halogen lighting elements. 
     
     
       5. Apparatus as claimed in claim  1 , further comprising means for causing the electro-luminescent lighting elements to turn on and off at predetermined times. 
     
     
       6. Apparatus as claimed in claim  1 , further comprising a device selected from the group consisting of motion sensor, photosensor, PIR sensor, photo transistor, dimmer switch, vibration switch, thermal switch, acoustic switch, vibration switch, power fail detector, and manual switch for turning the electro-luminescent lighting element on and off. 
     
     
       7. Apparatus as claimed in claim  1 , wherein the electro-luminescent lighting element is selected from the group consisting of panels, sheets, tubes, bars, strips, two-dimensional lighting elements, and three-dimensional lighting elements. 
     
     
       8. Apparatus as claimed in claim  1 , wherein said conductive means further comprises inverter circuitry which forms a means for triggering the electro-luminescent element to exhibit a desired brightness and color. 
     
     
       9. Apparatus as claimed in claim  1 , wherein said inverter circuitry further includes means for controlling display functions of the electro-luminescent lighting element, including illumination duration, motion effects, illumination cycles, and frequency of the cycles. 
     
     
       10. Apparatus as claimed in claim  1 , wherein the electro-luminescent element is mounted on an element of the lighting apparatus selected from the group consisting of a lamp housing, lamp cover, lamp post, lamp stand, lamp casing, and decoration base. 
     
     
       11. Illumination apparatus comprising: 
       a lamp holder including receiving means for receiving a lighting element and adapter means for enabling the lamp holder to be received in and electrically connected to an existing lamp holder;  
       power supply means for supplying power to the lighting element from an external power source;  
       at least one electro-luminescent element, said electro-luminescent element being in addition to any lighting element, received in said lamp holder; and  
       conductive means for electrically connecting the electro-luminescent element to said power supply means.  
     
     
       12. Apparatus as claimed in claim  11 , wherein said lamp holder receiving means is of a type selected from the group consisting of the following types of receiving means: screw-in, wedge type, insert type, plug-in, snap-in, pin, and bayonet. 
     
     
       13. Apparatus as claimed in claim  11 , wherein said conductive means comprises a means selected from the group consisting of blades, wires, ribbons, screws, springs, rivets, terminals, and solder. 
     
     
       14. Apparatus as claimed in claim  11 , wherein the lighting element is a lighting element selected from the group consisting of incandescent lighting elements, fluorescent lighting elements, PL lighting elements, HID lighting elements, Mercury vacuum lamps, gas-filled lamps, phosphor coated lighting elements, and Halogen lighting elements. 
     
     
       15. Apparatus as claimed in claim  11 , further comprising means for causing the electro-luminescent lighting elements to turn on and off at predetermined times. 
     
     
       16. Apparatus as claimed in claim  11 , further comprising a device selected from the group consisting of motion sensor, photosensor, PIR sensor, photo transistor, dimmer switch, vibration switch, thermal switch, vibration switch, acoustic switch, power fail detector, and manual switch for turning the electro-luminescent lighting element on and off. 
     
     
       17. Apparatus as claimed in claim  11 , wherein the electro-luminescent lighting element is selected from the group consisting of panels, sheets, tubes, bars, strips, two-dimensional lighting elements, and three-dimensional lighting elements. 
     
     
       18. Apparatus as claimed in claim  11 , wherein said conductive means further comprises inverter circuitry which forms a means for triggering the electro-luminescent element to exhibit a desired brightness and color. 
     
     
       19. Apparatus as claimed in claim  11 , wherein said inverter circuitry further includes means for controlling display functions of the electro-luminescent lighting element, including illumination duration, motion effects, illumination cycles, and frequency of the cycles. 
     
     
       20. Apparatus as claimed in claim  11 , wherein the electro-luminescent element is mounted on an element of the lighting apparatus selected from the group consisting of a lamp housing, lamp cover, lamp post, lamp stand, lamp casing, and decoration base.